Proverbs 13

EasyEnglish Bible

13 A wise son listens to his father's teaching.
    But if you tell a proud person that he is wrong, he will not listen.
² If you say kind words, you will eat good things.
    But wicked people only want to be cruel.
³ Someone who thinks before he speaks will keep his life safe.
    But someone who talks too much will destroy himself.
⁴ A lazy person always wants to have more, but he will not get it.
    If a person works hard, he will have more than he needs.
⁵ Honest people hate anything that is false.
    But wicked people do things that bring them shame.
⁶ When honest people do what is right, it keeps them safe.
    But when sinners do evil things, it destroys them.
⁷ Somebody who has nothing may still pretend to be rich.
    Somebody else may pretend to be poor, but he is very rich.
⁸ A rich person may have to use his money to save his life.
    But poor people do not have that problem.
⁹ Righteous people have joy that shines like a bright light.
    But wicked people have a light that will quickly go out.
¹⁰ A person who boasts only causes trouble.
    But if you accept good advice, it shows that you are wise.
¹¹ If you try to get money quickly, you will not stay rich for long.
    But if you are patient, you will become rich little by little.
¹² When you do not receive the things that you hope for, it makes you sad.
    But when you receive what you have always wanted, you are very happy.
¹³ If you do not accept good teaching, you will destroy yourself.
    If you accept good advice, it will help you to do well.
¹⁴ The teaching of wise people is like a spring of water that gives life.
    It will keep you away from death's dangerous traps.
¹⁵ People respect a person who has wise thoughts.
    But the way that wicked people live destroys them.
¹⁶ Careful people need to understand what they are doing.
    But a fool quickly shows how foolish he is.
¹⁷ If you send a message with a wicked person, he will cause trouble.
    But if you send someone that you can trust, he will bring peace.
¹⁸ Anyone who turns away from good teaching will become poor and ashamed.
    But if you accept advice when you do something wrong, people will respect you.
¹⁹ It is very nice to receive the things that you want.
    But foolish people refuse to stop doing evil things.
²⁰ If you have wise people as your friends, you will become wise yourself.
    But if you have foolish friends, you will hurt yourself.
²¹ Trouble chases sinners and it catches them.
    But righteous people will receive good things.
²² When a good person dies, he leaves good things for his grandchildren.
    But a sinner's riches will belong to righteous people in the end.
²³ Even a poor man's field may give him enough food.
    But he loses it because wicked people rob him.
²⁴ If you do not punish your child, you show that you hate him.
    If you really love your child, you will punish him when he does something wrong.
²⁵ Righteous people have plenty of food to eat.
    But wicked people have an empty stomach.